Drawer lock



DRAWER LOCK Feb. 6, 1945. W- C- MAYER 2,368,859

Filed Sept. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Feb. s; 1945.

W.' C. MAYER Y DRAWER LOCK Filed Sept. 30,"1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM C.M AYER k ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 6, 1945 UNITED-f ASTft'zfflSf i PATENT? o-'FFIC l h afacassa h 'L .DRAWERLQCK Willam; Mayer, .Te'fei'sorljWis:IH n Application september 3o, 1942., Seraing; ascissa.

10mm. (o1.-45f .941)`;`"

This invention appertains to -furniture and more particularly to a novel drawer lockfor le cabinets, desks and the like.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of an automatic lock for tiers of drawers, in which the use of essential material, such as metal, is reducedto an extreme minimum, the main parts of the lock ibeing formed from wood.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a novel anti-friction drawer lock in which the lock bar is positively movedboth to its locking and unlocking position by the opening and closing of a single main drawer,

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a freely rotatable impeller roller arranged in rear of the drawer and actuated by the main or impeller drawer for positively raising and lowering the lock bar.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a novel drawer lock of the above character, which will bedurable and eiicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can ibe incorporated in desks and file cabinets at a low cost.

With these and other minor objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction,

arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a le cabinet having my improved lock incorporated therewith, the section being taken on the line I-I of Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but sho-wing the top or impeller drawer moved to an open position for lowering the lock barto permit the release of the bottom drawers.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the cabinet taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the cabinet taken on the, line 4,4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates a ile cabinet and the same includes a top drawer I' and a bottom drawer II.

The cabinet C can be made in any preferred way as the construction of the cabinet itself forms no part of my present invention but it is to be noted that the same' includes a top I2, side walls I3 anda rear wall Mrf'Aibottonrsfnamel is provided in the cabinet and one or more intermediate frames I6 is also provided in the cabinet. The number of intermediate frames depends on the number of drawers in the cabinet.

The top or impeller drawer I0 can be provided with any preferred'type of conventional key operated lock I1. The side walls I8 of the drawer I0 are extended beyond and rearwardly of the back wall I9 of this drawer to provide side plates 20. These side plates 2llare provided with inclined slots 2l which open out through the rear edges of the plates. As` illustrated, the slots 2I incline upwardly and forwardly toward the drawer back I9.

While I have shown each drawer side I8 pro-l vided with the extension 20 it is to be understood, that if desired, the -extension 20 can be provided only on one side of the drawer. The drawer II is providedfwith a latch hook 22.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the cabinet and in `rear of the drawers is one or more lock bars `23.4 These lock bars are slidably mounted lon the frames I5 and l B and the frames can fbe provided with headed pins 24 and the lock bars are provided with slots 25 for receiving said Hence the lock bars are guided in their movement by the pins. The lock bar is provided ywith a keeper slot or socket 26 for engaging the the inclined slots 2l as will be latermore clearly set forth.

The lock bars 23, the impeller roller 21 and the side plates or extensions 20 are all formed of wood and if desired the guide pins also can 'be formed of wood.

In the'operation of my novel lock and referring more specifically to Figure 1, it will be noted that the drawers I0 and Il are in their closed position and that the impeller roller 21 is disposed in the ends of the slots 2|. Consequently the lock bars 23 are held in a raised position with the walls of the keeper slots in engagement with the latch hook 22. Consequently the open-` ing of the lower drawer I I is prevented.

Upon the unlocking of the top 'drawer I0, `said The ends of the impeller roller y21 are adapted to'be received within` top drawer can ybe pulled outwardly as shown in Figure 2 and during this forward movement the impeller roller 21 will' roll on the walls of the slots 2l and the walls of the slots, due to the inclination of the slots, will force the -impeller roller downwardly and the impeller roller in turn will move the lock bars 23 downwardly. This will position the keeper slot 26 to permit the release of the keeper hook 22 and consequently the bottomdrawer can loe opened. When the 'bottom drawer is: againclosed and itiis desired to lock the cabinet, the top or impeller drawer is moved to its closed position and the roller 2'!Y will roll up the inclined walls of the slots 2l and the lock bars 23 .will again be raised for moving the walls of the keeper slot' 26 into locking engagement with the latch hook 22. From the foregoing description,l it can -beseen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and durable form of drawer lock in which friction is reduced to a minimum.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

In an article of furniture, such as a le cabinet or desk, a frame, a control drawer slidably mounted in said frame, a drawer to be locked slidably mounted in said frame, vertically movlable lock bars slidably supported by said frame 

